The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-31
THE KING OF SAMOA.
Germany Takes Possession of His
Island DominIons.

SAN Francisco, Oct. 3O.-Steamer Zea-
lander brings advices here today from Samoa
The sull details of the surrender of Malietoa,
the native king of the Samoan islands to
German officials are at hand. There is also
letter written by the king to the American
and British consulson the islands day or
two before his surrender. The following is
the full text of the letter; 81, Malietoa,
king of Samoa, write this letter to you as |
am now in distress. When chief Tamasese
and others first commenced troubles, it was
my wish to punish them and put an end to
the rebellion they had raised. Acting, how
ever, on the advice and under the assurance
of the British and American consuls, i re-
refrained from doing so. L was repeatedly
told by the representatives of the British
and American governments that they would
afford me and my government assistance and
protection if abstained from doing any
thing that might cause war amongst the Sa-
moans Relying on these promises L did not
put down the rebellion. Now | find that
war has been made upon me by the Emperor
of Germany, and Tamasese has been pro-
claimed king OF Samoa.
German forces and the adherents ofTama-
sese threaten to make war upon all Samoan
people who do not acknowledge Tamasese
as King. | am innocent of any wrongful act
and hereby protest against the action of
Germany. But as the German nation is
strong and l am weak yield to their power
to prevent my people being slaughtered. l
shall deliver myself up to the German forces
tomorrow to prevent bloodshcd and out of
love to my people. desire to remind you
of the promise so repeatedly made by your
government and trust that you will so far
redeem them as to cause the lives and liber-
ty of my chiefs and people to be respected.
81 wish to inform you that i fear the Ger
mans. as they are now forcing my people to
sign papers acknowledging TamaseSe as
King, and if l sign such papers it will only
be under compulsion and to avoid war lbeing
made on my people"
In an editorial ON the situation in Samoa
the New Zealand has this to say:
1t Is quite clear that if America and Great
Britain had both shown that they would be
united in resisting this action which Germa-
ny evidently premeditated, the course pur-
sued sued BY the officials of the latter power
possible way of accounting for the sudden
and arbitrary proceeding taken by the Ger
man consul at Apia, and by Commander
Heusnia in declaring war against the king
Of Malietoa, and subsequently deposing him,
is by supposing that at the Washington con-
ference, around which SO much mystery has
been designedly thrown, Germany had put
forward claims which the American repre-
sentative was inclined to favor, but to which
the British representative was hostile.
At all events it would appear that some seri-
GUS difference OF opinion regarding the con-
troll of Samoa required the adjournment of
the conference to enable the representatives
to consult their respective governments.
Had the conduct which Germany has been
guilty of in Samoa been resorted to by the
government of such kingdom as Denmark
or Holland the tone and attitude assumed by
the United States authorities would have
been very different from that observed in
the present instance.